I have a 3-year-old computer and I need to format the hard drive to make sure that things run a little smoother. I currently have a 60 Gb HD that I'm using for all my programs, plus an external hard drive for all my bulky stuff (e.g., mp3s, movies, etc.).

I have a new 80 Gb HD that I want to install on my computer, either as a master or as a slave. I can do all the hardware, but I need help with the software part of the transition.

I currently have Windows XP Pro SP2 installed, and a complete version of Office 2003. My XP Pro was upgraded by my school (I had Windows 2000 before) and the Office was also installed by the school. I actually have the XP upgrade CD, but the Office was installed through the network. To make matters worse, I just graduated in May, so I can't install things following the same procedure as before.

So, that's my problem: I want to either format my current hard drive or start from scratch with my new one (I don't really care witch one I use as the master HD) and still keep my current software installed.

I would like to avoid going through the process of installing Windows 2000 on my new HD, then upgrading to XP Pro with the CD I have, then potentially calling Microsoft for the activation... Plus, I really don't want to lose Office.

Any ideas?

P.S.: Let me know if more detailed information is needed

You can clone your old HD into your new HD but I haven't done it.
I always do images with acronis.
Try googling it though, maybe you're lucky

But cloning wouldn't clean up all the things that added up throughout the years to make the computer slower, right?

Yes, but if you don't have the installation CDs, you're SOL.

Grumpy

Yeah but if you clone it you can start uninstalling crap, then cleaning the registry and deleting temp files.

It's not a great way to do it but at least you get to keep your windows and office.

You wouldn't have to install Win 2K first, you would just need to have the CD handy when Windows prompted you to insert it during installation. The only thing you'd have to worry about after that is finding installation media for Office. You won't have to worry about calling MS for activation.

Cloning the old drive to the new is the ONLY way you're going to be able to keep everything as is. There is no way to format and then copy Office over and have it work. You would have to manually add all the registry entries for Office into the new installation... a task that no one is up to, most likely.